To be struggling with constant 'constructive' criticism in new job?

This.

id ask for a meeting with my manager. I’d say first “I’m getting loads of feedback to point out errors in my work. Thanks to everyone to take the time. However I’m concenred that all this stuff is not documented anywhere so I was able to have got it right first time, without these managers/clients wasting their time on feedback. Have I missed something where all this stuff is written down?”
ifvthey say no, then I’d add “would it be helpful for the next new starter if I began to collate all these amendments into a single specification or training document so the next person doesn’t have to learn by trial and error?

you make you point. It’s constructive and offers company chance to rethink the sheer amount of stupid time wasting non value adding activity it’s doing by senior people correcting juniors work. It makes clear statement that your errors are due to lack of training or documentation, and you’re offering a a solution.

then make sure you document in email a summary of conversation. Send it to boss for his record with “this is what we agreed”. That covers you form PIP or failure of probation as shows you have tried to offer solutions.

if they say it doesn’t need documenting, or can’t be. Look for a new job. Means they’re making it up as they go along, and you’ll never have a piece of work that doesn’t get corrected. And that means they’ll probably go bankrupt eventually anyway 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣🙄

Reframe it as training, as that’s essentially what it sounds like. They’re not criticising you, they’re training you in your role. And if you’re trusted to make the edits yourself where other colleagues aren’t, that’s fantastic and shows you’re progressing.

@giveupp do you get any positive feedback at all or just constant criticism?

If they're genuine and not complaining about you behind your back give it time...
Unless you're asking because you want to leave

Personally I hate "detail orientated ' jobs. I worked for a kitchen company and most of them were women who accepted being paid a very poor wage

Sorry I must have missed the bit where she has sought guidance - I have only read about the feedback she has got on documents that she's not too keen on getting - not her asking for guidance on how she can improve on this from her manager's pov - I see her asking for guidance on here, is that what you meant because we don't pay her salary, it's not us she needs to please.

Seek guidance not excuses.

^

That's what the op has done, but it's not working out too well for her from the looks of it...

You risk coming across as whiney if you point out the obvious. Better to ask your manager for general feedback on how you are getting on, are you developing as they would expect, are they happy with your progress, what should you do more of/less of. Seek guidance not excuses.

Sorry, not sure why it quoted motheronthendance floor too. Disregard that bit please

All of the people reviewing my work have been at the company for years and they have lots of inside knowledge that's not documented anywhere for me to be able to consult.
^

This. This is so important, and definitely point it out. You've been there four weeks!!!

How would you like the management to communicate feedback and corrections to you so you don’t feel criticised?

But to add, I do understand how you feel.

I find feedback hard to take, it's something I have to actively work at constantly and I've been in client facing roles for 15 years.

If I feel negative emotions bubbling up, I remind myself they're saying it so the work can be better and I can learn. If I notice myself responding defensively, I stop talking, reframe my thinking, and if necessary acknowledge to the person I was being defensive but will take their feedback onboard.

It is really hard, but it makes a world of difference to your working relationships and gets you further ahead in the long run.

Sounds like my job. Boss gave me all this constructive criticism but honestly it just came across as picky.

My tip is to get through the training part of the role, demonstrate you can do it, then they will leave you alone.

Red flag! Flag on the play! Toxic workplace! Send that resume and GET OUT!

im 10 weeks into a new job and it’s the best place I’ve ever worked. Def honeymoon phase, but you should not be dealing with these feelings this early. Keep looking!

As others have said, this sounds more like them helping you learn rather than criticism. I think it would be helpful to reframe it in your minds and turn it into a "what I wish I knew as a new starter" document which you can share with your boss. I'd be so happy if one of my direct reports did this and think highly of them.

To minimise the feedback after doing the work, could you request more guidance before beginning? So if you're producing something for a client, ask your manager if the client has any preferences or things they don't like before starting the work.

Small companies with low staff turnover can be like this, people get very set in their ways and forget "how we've always done it" isn't a universal constant.

I think if I were you I would be treating this feedback like an information gathering exercise and compiling all these little things into a document: it would make me feel more in control, it would demonstrate to them that I was being proactive about my own training, and if things did turn shitty it would be a useful piece of evidence in my defence.

Can no one on this thread use the correct 'you're' ??

Yeah, this is a great idea. Invoking the harassment policy a month in - it can’t fail!

Why not kick the boss in the cock and tell him his wife’s a fat old slut while you’re at it?

It’s not criticism, it’s teaching. They don’t do for the other stuff because they should know already. Worry if you keep doing the same things wrong because then it’s a problem.

Agree but at 4 weeks in there is going to be micromanagement until things are learned.

Great advice

I'd offer to write the style guide based on what you have picked up so far, discuss it with your line manager and then send it around the team for comments.

I actually personally wish i had more feedback because it would mean i would know where I could refine and improve. I wish I had been given the advice not to take feedback personally - to see it as an opportunity, even when it's painful being able to see it as a gift, early in your career will serve you very well.

If you could write down how to do a job in a document or a book from A-Z you'd be doing a very simple straightforward job. Even after 6 years using books in med school doctors come into hospitals and have to learn on the job - they have to take the feedback as they make mistakes how else would they learn?

Jump in get your feet wet, try hard, stop thinking about being perfect, and start thinking about how you can grow and improve.

If you need help with business-style English, we recommend this guide to our people.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Economist-Style-Guide-12th/dp/1781258317/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11EYIV6IONSVV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HH55aZ0kfmiCE4IYFQ34wOrHqZ2QNzjWowoU16x67NNi3WlJ51VFl1xwHCxczHnUTb8tHKuIppDfElGVHK6zB3K4JR73GURWWfUFBDfmvuW0PtyX9r5yA363QPzfLtFuEfaYN_gkKzLYKshiZlU0fLe9YR_k0wAP_VYVBRfcx-8KpiiyGQNntW4TYX8jaKtW.ndyr-nOgvsl5WxXtPPQaz3jPB7ZUQ5UDjf3EvSmoAXc&dib_tag=se&keywords=economist+style+guide+2024&qid=1713438740&sprefix=econmist%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-1

. I've starting compiling it into a checklist to be able to refer to, so I am at least taking their feedback on board and trying not to repeat mistakes.

That's a good plan but I would feed back the need for style guides and accessible notes for new starters as many things just aren't clear and re-doing work is inefficient - it may not have occurred to anyone that it is needed.

If you're doing a process/thing wrong it is useful and important for your learning that you are taught how.

However if theyre saying emotive things like. How could you get that wrong. Wow you didn't do this right youre a failure then that's not okay.

But I think its your mind you need to work on, i mean that in a nice way. Because getting feedback is incredibly valuable in learning. The more feedback the faster you can develop. If its constructive.

Doing things wrong is part of getting better. If you only ever do things perfectly, well that's not life and a sign you're staying stuck in a comfort zone.

To learn and develop you need to try. And with trying comes first attempts usually can pretty much nearly always be improved on.
Its an iterative process. And management are helping you speed that up.

I actually personally wish i had more feedback because it would mean i would know where I could refine and improve.

Also if there is any question that your formal business English isn’t up to scratch, read a suitable book or watch YouTube videos on smartening that up. I find that if paragraphs are missing, colons and semi-colons are used incorrectly, bulleted lists are not properly formatted or not used as a list but rather as different unconnected points etc., I will be overall more critical of the content than when a report that is well structured and well written comes for review.